The Cannes Film Festival got me thinking.

Outrage was sparked last week as the public learned that women were banned from wearing flat shoes on the red carpet at the Cannes Film Festival. I mean really, imagine being turned away because you decided to wear flats, how devastating.So, over the weekend it kind of played on my mind and the more I've read on the subject the more angry it's made me - not only angry but sad that in this day and age women and men are supposed to be equal. Is there an unwritten law stating that women have to wear high heels now? Are heels not merely just a fashion statement or someone's personal taste anymore? I then began to think about this in a broader sense; what this ban actually symbolised. Now, I don't know about you, I understand that heels are pretty to look at, but I just can not wear them. I find most of them uncomfortable, I hate stumbling around and I genuinely feel vulnerable (as though any moment my ankle may snap, or if that person behind me dances a little too vigorously in my general direction I probably will face plant the sticky, dirty club floor). I would much rather not risk heels, enjoy my night and ensure nothing holds me back.

Emma Thompson basically voiced this when she received her Golden Globe when she joked "I just want you to know, this red - is my blood."

Which brings me to ask, what is so sexy about a girl who can't walk in her heels, hobbling around because her feet are in so much pain and the torn up and shredded feet that are revealed when the shoes are finally taken off? I don't understand. Is looking good really worth crippling yourself over, can you really feel good when can't even feel your toes anymore? Probably not. At the same time though if you can walk in them without breaking your neck and genuinely enjoy wearing heels then you own it and do what ever makes you happy. But if you're doing it because guys think heels are sexy or that they make you more attractive then I don't understand. So what if guys like heels? Why do women feel the need to please men? As Janet Street-Porter said:

"To me heels signify acquiescence, vulnerability and desperation. Cannes Film Festival says the industry needs to take women seriously, but forcing heels is conforming to an outdated stereotype of femininity."

Which I have to agree with. I mean what's next, will women be banned from wearing trousers on the red carpet? No bare faces allowed?

I suppose I don't really know, I would not go as far to say that we remain in a patriarchy where women are forced to adhere to the wishes of the dominant male figures but what does this say? It should be a choice for women to make, not be forced to tiptoe and stumble around in order to attend a film festival that you were invited to. It is extremely sexist and I'm glad so many celebrities (both male and female) spoke out about this. Let's think about this realistically, do you think a man would be turned away from a function like this because he showed up to the red carpet wearing heels? Most probably not as that would be considered as discrimination, sexist and I'm sure homophobic (which is very true - but why should females be treated any differently?).

Really, I believe it should be your own choice of what to wear and that other people's ideals of what is attractive should not be forced on you. If anyone has any other thoughts on this I would love to hear about them, but goodbye for now,Love, Lauren x